12 October 2012

Workplace discrimination needs a shake up

Equal Employment Opportunities Trust chairman, Michael Barnett, says
Auckland, businesses can't afford to judge people on their ethnic origin.
"Statistics show that one in ten people feel discriminated against and the
majority of them say it's because of their skin colour or race. People who
identify as Asian had the highest incidences of racism, followed by Maori
and Pacific people."

Mr Barnett says research from Statistics NZ shows that over 100 thousand
people felt discriminated against while at work, when working, or while
applying for a job or position. "I personally know of a woman who is a
microbiologist and her husband a lawyer who came to Auckland from India
under the government's skilled migrant quota - neither can get a job."

Mr Barnett says within the next five years about 50 per cent of Auckland's
population is predicted to NOT be white European and that means a changing
face for the workforce - be it health professionals, accountants or the
manufacturing sector. "Businesses need to learn to understand different
cultures and appreciate the huge contribution they are and will make to our
economy. If work places don't embrace diversity their bottom lines will
suffer as a looming shortage of staff is also predicted with the ageing
workforce."

Mr Barnett is disappointed with the results of an on-line NZ Herald survey
asking people if they are comfortable with Auckland's changing ethnic mix.
"30 percent who responded said 'definitely not' which demonstrates a total
lack of understanding of what is happening to the ethnic mix in Auckland and
across the world.

He says some large companies are starting to 'get it' that employing a
diverse range of workers makes good business sense, but many others seem
slow to appreciate the positive contribution diversity offers to the bottom
line.

Mr Barnett says the EEO Trust has tools and workshops to help workplaces
cultivate a diverse range of employees from many different countries,
religions and cultures. "There's no excuse for businesses to be biased
against any employee."
ends

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